Kerf cutting machine



Oct. 29, 1940. wA 'r MoCULLOUGl-i 2,219,746

KERF CUTTING MACHINE original Filed oct. 22, 1934' 4 sheets-sheet 1 LQ N A jin/672757* KERF CUTTING .MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 22, 1934. 4..Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1940.

w. T. MccuLLouGl-r KERE CUTTING MACHINE original Filed oct. 22, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 QP A @y Oct.` 29, 1940. w. T. MccULLoUGH REEF CUTTING MACHINE original Filed oct; 22', 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 s i H nf,

lill.

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNiTED STATES KERF CUTTING MACHINE william T. McCullough, chicago, 111., assigner m Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 22, 1934, Serial No. 749,345 Renewed May 5, 1937 1o claims.

This invention .relates to improvements in kerfcutting machines of the low vein track-mounted type particularly adapted to cut a kerf in front of and to each side of the track along the mine bottom or at various elevations with respect thereto.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a new and improved mining machine of the class described, arranged with a View towards compactness, especially in vertical dimensions,

and accessibility, exibility and efficiency in operation.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mining machine having the principles of my invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the forward portion of the device shown in Figure 1 with parts shown substantially in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the rearward portion of the device shown in Figure l with parts broken away and` shown substantially in longitudinal section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the forward portion of the device shown in Figure 1 with parts broken away and Ashown in horizontal section;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional View of the cutter bar swinging mechanism taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail plan view of the cutter bar tilting mechanism with parts shown in horizontal section;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 'I-'l of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of the locking mechanism for the turntable.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the various figures.

In the drawings, the machine illustrated includes a truck Il) mounted on track wheels I I, II

and axles I2, I2. A turntable I3 is mounted on the forward e'nd of said truck and forms a support for a cutting element, generally indicated by reference character I4.

The mining machine may be propelled about the mine or sumped into and fed across the face of the coal by suitable mechanism actuated by a motor I5, of the usual electric type, mounted on said truck rearwardly of the turntable I3. Said motor is connected with the forward track Wheels by means of a suitable train of change speed reduction gears, generally indicated by reference character I6. Said change speed reduction gears will not herein be shown or described in detail since they are of a usual arrangement and form no portion of my present invention.

The change speed reduction gear train I also forms a portion of the train of' gearing which turns the turntable I3 for swinging the cutting element across the front of and to each side of the truck at either a slow feeding speed or a high positioning speed. The turntable turning mechanism includes a worm and worm gear train driven by the gear train I5 and generally indicatedby reference character I'I, which mechanism is best shown in Figures 3 and 5. Said worm and worm gear train selectively drives a pinion I8 adjacent the lower end of a vertical shaft I9 through a clutch member, generally indicated by`reference character `2KB (see Figure 3)..

Said pinion turns the turntable I3 by means of s a gear train, generally indicated by reference character 2l, in an obvious manner.

Means are provided for locking said turntable and cutting element in fixed relation with respect to said truck, which means, as herein shown in l Figures 3 and 8, comprises a ,stop member 23NV slidably mounted in a guide 24 and adapted to engage jaws 25, 25 extending upwardly fromv the pinion I8 for holding said pinion and the gear train 2i from movement. f f

A winding drum 25 is freely mounted on the upper end'of the shaft I9 and is'selectively connected with the worm and worm gear train I'I by means of a jaw clutch, indicated by reference character 21, in an obvious manner. ing drum is adapted to serve as a means for feeding the cutting element in cases where the cutting is hard and the tractive effort of the track wheels on the rails is not sufficient to sump said cutting element'into the coal or feed said cutting element along the coal face. i

Referring now in particular to the details of the cutting element I4, said cutting element includes a frame member 29 trunnioned adjacent its rearward end on trunnion supports 30, 30 secured to and extending upwardly and forwardly from opposite sides of the turntable i3 and best shown in Figures l and 4. YSaid frame member extends forwardly of said turntable and truck and is provided with a pair of parallelspaced depending gibbed guides 3l, .3i disposed adjacent the forward end of said truck. Said guides are adapted to register with corresponding gibbed guides 32, 32 formed integral with and extending from a second frame member 33 (see Figure 4). Said guides are held in engagement with each other by means of retaining strips 34 secured to the rearward face of the guides 32, in a suitable manner, and abutting the rearward face of the guides 3|.

A threaded shaft 35 is horizontally pivoted between projections 36, 36 extending forwardly of said second frame adjacent the longitudinal center line thereof. Said shaft Vis threaded within a threaded sleeve 3l which sleeve is in turn threaded Within a threaded hub of a worm gear 38. Said worm gear is journaled in the forward end of the frame memberrZS so that rotation of said wormgear in one direction or another will effect movement of said second frame towards or from said first-mentioned frame, in an obvious manner.

The second frame 33 has a cored inside of circular form which is adapted to form -a journal for a cutter bar supporting member 39 (see Figure 2). Said cutter bar supporting member has a cutter bar 4I! secured thereto in a suitable manner and is heldin position in said second frame by means of an annular iiange 4| extendin-g inwardly from a spur gear 43 and secured to the upper surface of said cutter bar supporting member and abutting the upper annular surface of said second frame. Said spur gear is meshed with and driven by a spur pinion 44 -journaled in said second frame for swinging said cutter bar about its axis of pivotal connection to said second frame.

'Ihe cutter bar support member 39 is herein shown as being provided with a central hub portion which is bored along its axis of pivotal connection to said second frame. The bored portion vof said cutter bar support member forms a bearing support means for a sleeve 46 which sleeve in turn has a sprocket 41 secured thereto adjacent its lower end. Said sprocket meshes with a cutter chain 48 for driving said cutter chain about the cutter bar 4I) in a usual manner. The inside of said sleeve is splined and is adapted to be slidably engaged by a splined shaft 49. 'Ihe upper portion of said splined shaft is vadapted to slidably engage a splined hub 59 of a bevel gear 5| which is journaled on said hub in said first-mentioned frame.

Referring now in particular to the power device which, drives the operating parts of the cutting element I4, and the novel arrangement of said power device with respect to the turntable I3, so that the height of the machine may be kept to a minimum, said power device is preferably shown as comprising a motor 53 of the ordinary electric type. Said motor is secured to and extends rearwardly from the rst frame 29 and is so arranged with respect to the machine that it determines the height of the machine. In Figures 2, 3 and 4 it will be; seen that an opening 54 is provided in sai-d turntable which is of suicient dimensions to receive a portion of said motor. Said motor extends through said opening in such amanner that its bottom surface is lower than the lowemost portion of said turntable. It will be seen that this arrangement reduces the over-all height of the machine in a novel manner and enables a relatively large and powerful motor to be used having sufficient power to efficiently drive the cutting mechanism.

A novel power-operated device driven from the rearward end of the motor 53 is provided for tilting said cutting element about its axis of pivotal connection to the trunnion supports 36, 30. Said power-operated device is best shown in Figures 3, 6, and 7 and includes a vertically disposed threaded shaft 55 secured adjacent its lower end to a coil spring 56. Said coil spring is secured within a bored portion of the turntable I3 and forms a means for supporting said cutting element for yieldable movement about the `axis of said trunnion supports during the cutting operation. Said shaft is guided against axial movement about its lower end and rotatable movement about its longitudinal axis by means of a member 5'I secured to the upper portion of said turntable and partially encasing the coil spring 56. Said member has an aperture 53 formed therein which serves as a guide to limit rotation and axial movement of said threaded shaft.

A nut 59 is trunnioned within a member 60 secured to the under surface of a bevel gear 6I journaled within a frame member 62 extending rearwardly from the motor 53. Said nut is threaded on said threaded shaft so that rotation of said bevel gear and nut in one direction or another will cause said nut to move along said threaded shaft to pivot the cutter bar 46 about the axis of the trunnion supports 30, 36.

The means for driving the bevel gear 6I from the motor 53 includes a motor pinion 63 meshing with and driving a spur gear 64 keyed adjacent the forward end of a longitudinally extending shaft 65. Said shaft is journaled within the frame member 62 and has a pair of facing bevel gears 66, 66 freely mounted thereon and journaled on their hubs within said frame member. Said bevel gears mesh with a bevel gear 6l keyed on one end of a shaft 68. A bevel pinion 69 is keyed on the other end of said shaft and meshes with and drives the bevel gear 6|.

A suitable clutch means is provided for connecting either of the bevel gears 66, 66 to the shaft 65 to form a means for reversely driving the bevel gear 6| and nut 59 which clutch means, as herein shown, includes a clutch member 'II feathered on the shaft 65 and having oppositely disposed engaging friction surfaces 'I I, I adapted to engage inwardly extending friction surfaces 12, 12 on the facing bevel gears 66, 66. Said Iclutch member is shifted by means of a clutch yoke 'I3 pivotally connected to a lclutch fork 'I4 journaled in the frame member 62 for rocking movement with respect thereto. A lever arm 'I5 is secured to an upwardly extending pin 'I6 of the clutch fork 14 for rocking said clutch fork and shifting said clutch member. A spring-pressed plunger 'I'I is carried in said lever arm and `is adapted to engage a suitable notch formed in a member 'I8 secured to the frame member 62 for holding said clutch member in a neutral position. A hand lever 18a is pivotally connected to said lever arm and extends outwardly through an opening ina counterbalance 'I9 secured to and extending rearwardly from the turntable I3. It should be noted that said hand lever is so arranged as to be readily accessible and be disposed beneath the top of the motor 53.

With reference now in particular tothe means for driving the moving parts of the cutting element I4, a motor pinion on the forward end of the shaft of the motor 53 meshes with and drives an internal gear 8|. Said internal gear is journaled on its hub in the frame member 29 and is keyed to a rearward end of a longitudinal 'shaft 8-3. It lshouldbe `noted that the inovel arvrangement of -sa'id motor :pinion -and "internal Vmounted on the shaft V83 land journaled on ytheir hubs in the frame member 29. 'Said bevel gears Aare selectively `connected with .said shaft by means of 'friction clutches .85, 85 operated by a clutch collar 8?! in a usual manner. Said bevel gears mesh with and drive abevel gear 88 on one Vend of a transverse shaft kE39 journaled within the frame member 29. A bevel pinion Sli is `on the Yopposite end of said shaft -and meshes with and drives a bevel -gear 92| freely mounted on a longitudinal shaft 93. Said bevel gear is journaled on its hub in the frame member '29 Yand has a spur gear 94 connected thereto for .driving said spur gear. The spur gear 94 in turn meshes with a spur gear 95 on a parallel -shaft 19B. A spur pinion 97 is keyed onlthe opposite end of said parallel shaft and meshes with and drives asspur gear 9S freely mounted on the 'longitudinal shaft 93. The spur gears 94 or S8 are operatively connected with the longitudinal shaft :93 for driving said shaft at either a high or low speed by .means of a .clutch member 9-9 vinterposed between said spur gears and feathered on the shaft .93. Said clutch member has internal teeth. out in- "tegral with opposite ends thereof which .are

adapted to mesh with the teeth of the spur gear 9G 'for driving the shaft 93 .at a high speed :or

' with a gear HSB cut integral with the hub of the .spur gear 98 for driving said :shaft at va relatively low speed.

A wo-rm -lii'l is keyed on the forward .end of the'longitudinal shaft 93 .and -meshes with and drives a wormjgear w3. Said wor-m gear is secured vto a flanged sleeve IEM' intermediate the ends thereof, which flanged sleeve is journaled in the frame member v29. `The inside of said flanged sleeve is splined and is adapted to be engaged by a splined shaft m5, which splined shaft slidably engages the splined hub of the spur pinion 44 and provides an extensible drive connection between said worm gear and spur pinion for swinging the cutter bar 40 at either a high or low frictionally controlled speed in reverse directions without reversal of the motor 53.

Thecutter bar 40 is moved towards and from the frame member 29 by means of a spur gear IBS keyed on the hub of the forward bevel gear 85. Said spur gear meshes with and 4drives a spur gear lill freely mounted on a longitudinal shaft |08. A sleeve member |09 having internal teeth formed therein is .coaxial with the shaft |08 and driven by the spur gear lill. The internal teeth of said sleeve member are adapted to be engaged by corresponding teeth i I0 formed integral with a clutch member Hl feather on the longitudinal shaft AHi8 for selectively driving said shaft. A longitudinal shaft H2 is arranged coaxially with the shaft Hi8 and is connected thereto by means of a collar |13. A worm H4 is keyed to the forward end of the shaft H2 and meshes with and drives the worm gear 38 for moving the cutter bar 4i) either towards or from 'the framemember 29 -without reversal, of the motor 53.

It will thus be seen that by the improved arrangement of gearing shown, the cutter bar 4d lmaybe swung at either a low feeding speed or a relatively high positioning speed in reverse direcl tions without reversal of the motor and that said cutter bar may be adjustably moved towards and from the frame member 29 by means of a separate gear train but through the same reverse gearing as is used for swinging said cutter bar.

It may also be seen that the arrangement'of the motor and gearing is such as to be of a compact form and take up a minimum amount of verticalheight and still maintain the proper proportions for adequately driving thevcutter chainand for swinging or adjusting the cutter bar for performing the cutting roperation in a most efficient manner,

While I have herein shown and described one forwardly thereof and extending beyond the for- 'ward end of said truck, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout projecting forwardly of said frame member, and ari-opening in said turntable adapted to receive the lower portion of said motor and permit pivotal movement of said .cutting element and motor with respect Ito said truck about its axis `of pivotal connection. to said turntable.

2. In a low vein track-mounted mining machine of the type adapted yto cut a kerf in front of and to each side of the mine track adjacent lthe mine bottom, a truck, a turntable on said. truck having an opening therein, a cutting element mounted on said turntable includingv a frame `member extending forwardly of said turntable, a :cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout supported vby said frame member for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular thereto, a motor mounted on and extending rearwardly of said frame, said motor extending within said opening beneath thefbottom of said turntable, and means driven by the forward end of said motor for swinging said cutter bar and driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar including a motor pinion, a longitudinal shaft, and an internal gear meshing with said motor pinion and driving said longitudinal shaft.

3. In a low vein track-mounted miningmachine, a truck including a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, a turntable mounted on said c truck frame and having a major portion disposed 4. In a low vein track-mounted mining ma-v chine, a truck including a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, a turntable mounted on said truck frame and disposed beneath the upper margins thereof, a cutting element on said turntable including a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and means for driving 'said cutter chain about said cutter bar including a motor having a portion thereof intersected by a plane extending across the rtop of said truck frame.

5. In a low vein track-mounted mining machine, a truck including a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, a turntable mounted Yon said truck frame and disposed beneath the upper margins thereof, a cutting element on said turntable including a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and means for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar including a motor having a portion thereof intersected by a plane extending along the bottom of said turntable and intersecting said truck frame.

6. In a low vein track-mounted mining machine, a truck including a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, a turntable mounted on said truck frame and disposed beneath the upper margins thereof, a cutting element on said turntable including a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and means for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar including a motor, said turntable having an opening therein and -said motor extending within said opening and beneath the bottom of said turntable.

7. In a low vein track-mounted mining machine, a turntable, a cutting element on said turntable including a motor and a projecting cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, said truck frame having a recessed portion therein adapted to form a support for said turntable so said turntable may extend beneath the upper margins of said truck frame, and said turntable having an opening in the central portion thereof adapted to receive the lower portion of said motor and permit said motor to be recessed Within said truck frame.

8. In a low vein track-mounted mining machine, a turntable, a cutting element on said turntable including a motor and a projecting cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, said truck frame having a recessed portion therein adapted to form a support for said turntable so said turntable may extend'beneath the upper margins of said truck frame, and said turntable having an opening in the central portion thereof adapted to receive the lower portion of said motor and permit said motor to extend beneath the lower boundaries of said turntable and be recessed within said truck frame.

9. In a mining machine, a wheel-supported frame having a recess therein and providing an annular bearing, a turntable providing an opencentered turntable ring received in said recess and supported by said bearing, upstanding bearing-providing means supported by said turntable ring, a second frame having trunnions journaled in said bearing-providing means for tilting on a horizontal axis extending transversely of said turntable, a cutter-chain-carrying cutter bar supported at the forward end of said second frame, and an actuating motor for said cutter chain carried by said second frame and having a casing substantially rectangular in central longitudinal section and narrower laterally than said ring opening and having its rear end forward of the rearmost portion of the opening in said turntable ring and tiltable with said second frame and operatively connected to drive said cutter chain, said second frame tiltable about said transverse axis to raise said cutter bar, and said motor, in a tilted position `of said second frame, having at least the portion thereof including the rearward end of its casing within the open center of said turntable ring and below the top of said annular bearing.

l0. In a low vein mining machine, a truck including a truck frame supported on track wheels and axles, said truck frame having a widely extended upright bearing, a turntable mounted on said frame with an open portion thereof rotatably supported within said bearing, a cutting element including a drive motor and a cutter bar projecting therefrom, mounted on said turntable for pivotal movement as a unit about a transverse axis disposed above said bearing, and the lower portion of said motor extending within said open portion of said turntable beneath the upper limits of said bearing and moving vertically within said open portion during tilting movement of said cutting element about its transverse axis.

WILLIAM T. McCULLOUGI-I. 

